Update 4/11/2018

After undergoing the liver transplant operation that took nearly 24 hours, Baby Jalwa is now having treatment in ICU and closely monitored by the medical team. According to her mother, she is getting healthier, her skin and eyeballs no longer look yellowish, and no sign of rejection.

Let’s support Baby Jalwa as much as we can base on individual’s ability and capability so that she is able to overcome the challenges between this crucial period until she is discharged. We appreciate all kinds of support included donation, share this post with your friends and family, dedicate prayers for her speedy recovery, as well as moral support to her family.

Updates 28/9/2018

Hailing from Malacca, is a young girl named Nurul Jalwa, who was diagnosed with biliary atresia two months after birth. This is a type of congenital disorder that impedes the flow of bile from the liver to the intestines. The blockage, over time, causes liver cirrhosis. She started receiving treatment from Malacca General Hospital but because her condition started to worsen, she was transferred to Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

When Nurul Jalwa was 69 days old, she underwent a surgery called a Kasai Procedure, to relieve the blockage and allow bile to flow. However, her condition did not improve after the procedure. Her abdomen began to swell up as her liver function began to deteriorate. Later, she underwent a second surgery to separate the intestine that was attached to the liver, but this second procedure did not help alleviate her condition either. After multiple failed attempts for a cure, her only chance for a cure now is by doing a liver transplant. Subsequently, she was transferred from HKL to University Malaya Medical Centre.

After a detailed investigation, doctors conclude that Nurul’s mother is a strong candidate for liver donation. According to Mr Mudzaffaar, President of Biliary Atresia Malaysia Association (BAMA), UMMC lacks the necessary expertise and infrastructure for this procedure, so doctors are advising her to go to Max Super Specialty Hospital in India to perform the liver transplant. The main reason behind choosing this hospital for this procedure is because doctors there are extremely experienced in performing this procedure. Additionally, her budgeted medical bills is only around 40,000 USD (approximately RM166,000). The whole treatment includes a 3-month stay in the hospital. If this were to be done in a different country, hospital bills will surely skyrocket! After doing the surgery there, Nurul will be allowed to follow-up at UMMC.

Nurul’s father, Fazizal is a government servant with a monthly income of about RM2100. While her mother, Maslina, is a housewife. They have 4 children, namely Jannah (11 years old), Hanis (10 years old), Anas (5 years old) and the patient, Nurul Jalwa.

The exorbitant medical fees for this procedure puts an incredible burden on their family. With the help of the NGO – BAMA, they’ve come to seek financial assistance from Yayasan Nanyang Press Medical Aid. The team of doctors at UMMC strongly advises Nurul to maintain a body weight of 5kg. However, over the past 3 months, her body weight has stagnated at 4.8kg. To make things worse, she had gotten a fever, bacterial infection and developed breathing difficulties.

As of the 13th of this month, her body weight has started to increase steadily. Today, her body has finally gone up to 5.58kg! The infection has already been resolved, so she has stopped taking antibiotics. Her fever has also subsided and she no longer needs to rely on breathing aids! We are hoping that UMMC will be able to make arrangements with the doctors in India, so she can quickly proceed with the liver transplant.

As of today, through the generosity of the public, Yayasan Nanyang Press Medical Aid has accumulated a sum of RM 49,682 for Nurul Jalwa’s cause. However, it is the Indian hospital’s policy that we pay 50% of the procedure’s total budgeted cost, which is USD20,000 (RM 82,990) as a deposit before they let Nurul be admitted. In order to let Nurul undergo the procedure smoothly in her best condition currently, so that she may have the highest chance of complete recovery, Yayasan Nanyang Press has decided to donate RM 43,000 to make up the difference for the deposit. At the moment, we still need to raise the other 50% of the total cost (approximately RM 80,000).

Nurul Jalwa is already doing her best, fighting her way through one obstacle after another. We hope that more generous members of the public, would be willing to help support this fund raising and give this little life a fighting chance!

Updates 12/9/2018

According to Mr. Mudzaffaar (Chairman of BAMA), the Medical Team from PPUM insisted that baby Jalwa’s weight should reach 5kg before she is sent for liver transplant surgery in India. Jalwa’s weight had been maintaining at 4.8kg since the last 3 weeks. Besides, she was also having fever and breathing difficulties. Good news is her weight has finally increased to 5.16kg today! However, the doctor found early today that she has an infection. Hopefully the infection will be controlled after the application of antibiotics. As at today, she still needs oxygen equipment to support her breathing. Your kind support is always appreciated. We will keep you updated from time to time about baby Jalwa’s condition.

Updates 15/8/2018

Nurul Jalwa from Melaka is a 5 month old girl who is currently suffering from biliary atresia and a failed Kasai procedure. Biliary atresia is a congenital problem where the biliary system was underdeveloped thus impairing the bile excretory function. This has led to chronic accumulation of bile which is toxic to the liver and results in liver cirrhosis.

Kasai procedure operation was done at day 69 of her life but her condition did not improve and her liver function has shown some degree of impairment. The treatment for her current condition will be liver transplantation. Without a transplant further survival would not be possible.

UMMC referred Nurul to Max Super Speciality Hospital in India for liver transplantation, where they have a well established liver transplant centre for liver transplantation. The estimated cost for liver transplant is USD 40K (approximately RM160K).

Nurul’s father Fazizal works as a government servant, her mother Maslina is a housewife. She has 3 siblings who are Jannah (11 y/o), Hanis(10 y/o) and Anas (5 y/o).

Therefore, with the assistance of the Biliary Atresia Malaysia Association (BAMA), Nurul’s parents appeal for medical aid from Yayasan Nanyang Press and to raise funds from the public.